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Te Mauri, Te Roi, ao Te Tabemoa!
Mauri-o! Ti nako Kiribati! |
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Visit Abemama!
Barebutanna
Tekatia
Te Maie
Abemama From Space |
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Meet me "tanrake"! |
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Kiribati (pronounced kir i bus --- 'ti' is an /s/ sound) is a group of 33 atolls lying across the international dateline and the equator; more familiar to some as the Gilbert islands. Actually, Kiribati is made up of the Gilberts, the Line, and the Phoenix islands. All of the Gilbert group is inhabited.
The capital island is Tarawa, and the others are: Abemama (my personal favorite), Abaiang (2nd favorite), Aranuka, Kuria, Maiana, Marakei, Nonouti, Onotua, Butaritari, North and South Tabetuea, Banaba, Tamana, Beru, Arorae, Makin, and Nikunau. |
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Barebutanna School sits right next to the lagoon. The small structures are two of the classrooms, and the large structure is the 'Maneaba' where botakis (feasts) are held. |
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Living on this tiny atoll was the greatest experience of my life as well as the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. Life was simple and grand. A kerosene lantern provided my light and a kerosene double burner stove my cooking needs. A typical meal might be fish caught from the lagoon, rice cooked with local greens picked off my bush, and warm water flavored with orange cordial, or better still, fresh te moimoto, the juice of the young coconut. E kangkang! Delicious! |
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I lived on Abemama, an atoll south of Tarawa approx. 75 miles and less than a quarter of a degree N. of the equator, for 2 years while in the Peace Corps. By air it's a half hour trip; by boat, it's a 12 hour trip! |
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In my house at Barebutanna...>> |
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*Helpful hint . . . use the round foil seals from your Milo can to place between the lantern globe and the crosswires. This doesn't affect the light but it does stop the blindness and glare experienced when looking at the lantern.
Te bwia where I slept, ate, did dishes, and chatted with friends in the evening. Nako mei. Toka ion te bwia! I arose most mornings at 5:30 AM, put water on to boil (one minute at a roiling boil would do), made my coffee (Pablo), and walked to my bench on my beach and watched the sunrise. For breakfast - Weetbix with peanutbutter and jam! Maybe even a can of fruit.
School began at 8:30 and ended at 2:00. I spent the day in various classrooms modeling lessons for the teachers, reading to and with students, helping them work on their English skills. Part of each day was spent developing workshops; I presented one about every month.
School's Out! I'd be off to "my beach" tan raki (oceanside) for my afternoon run on the sand. Often I was accompanied by a few of the 8th and 9th grade guys. In the first few weeks they had a hard time keeping up, but all too soon they were in the lead. They were 15, me 46; maybe that had something to do with it?? |
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Back |
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ahead |
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If you ever have the opportunity to venture to Kiribati, you won't regret the experience (if that's truly what you're there for...the experience), and tell them all "Mauri-o" for me! |
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Created 1997 [email protected] |
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